135 



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Congressional policy in favor of public display and 

 scientific research was reiterated and reinforced in 1988, 

 when Congress reauthorized the MMPA. 6 



Thus, the House Committee report on the 1988 

 Amendments stressed that 



"[e]ducation is an important tool that can be used 

 to teach the public that marine mammals are 

 resources of great aesthetic, recreational and 

 economic significance. It is important, therefore, 

 that public display permits be issued to entities 

 that help inform the public about marine mammals, 

 as well as perform other functions. 



Permits may continue to be issued to public 

 and privately owned zoological parks and 

 oceanariums, as well as other qualifying 

 institutions." H.R. Rep. No. 970, 100th Cong., 2d 

 Sess. 33-34 (1988). 



Similarly, the Senate Report stated that 



"[e]ffective public display of marine mammals 

 provides an opportunity to inform the public about 

 the great aesthetic, recreational, and economic 

 significance of marine mammals and their role in 

 the marine ecosystem." S. Rep. No. 592, 100th 

 Cong., 2d Sess. 29 (1988). 



The Senate Report went on to say that 



"[t]he Committee recognizes that the recreational 

 experience is an important component of public 

 display and that public display has served a useful 

 educational purpose, exposing tens of millions of 

 people to marine mammals and thereby contributing 

 to the awareness and commitment of the general 

 public to protection of marine mammals and their 

 environment." Id. 



In the reauthorization, Congress also added enhancement 

 of survival or recovery of a species or stock to the 

 activities covered under Section 1371(a)(1), thus reaffirming 

 that the items in this section are categories considered by 

 Congress to be beneficial to marine mammals. Marine Mammal 

 Protection Act Amendments of 1988, 5 5(c), Pub. L. No. 100- 

 711, 102 Stat. 4765 (1988). 



